Is there a natural alternative for hot spots?

Hot spots are a type of acute moist dermatitis and can appear within a few hours. The skin appears weeping and raw. They are more common in summer months and can be the result of allergic reaction, skin infection, insect bite, insufficient grooming or underlying disease. Though they might be small when first noticed, they can grow to be as large as a hand or bigger ‘rapidly’ if left untreated.

Acting quickly is essential. Consider potential causes such as exposure to new grasses, pollens, molds or a swim in murky water. Is the fur matted in the affected area? Is there an underlying injury such a sore knee directly under the hot spot? Has he been chewing or licking out of boredom or had a tick bite? Excessive licking or scratching as your dog attempts to alleviate an irritation can result in a hot spot.

Trimming or shaving the fur around the area helps give you access to treat the area and clean away any puss or dead skin. It also helps the area to dry. Longer haired breeds are affected more often, and hot spots can be very painful so please take care. The smell of infection can be quite overwhelming.

The answer to the title question is ‘Yes, there are natural remedies for hot spots’ but because we do not give medical advice we just want to make you aware of the following… There are a number of home remedies and products available. You can even source many of them on the internet but we do recommend staying in touch with your veterinarian because ensuring the hot spot is properly diagnosed is important before employing a treatment plan.. Plus, any mixtures applied to the skin make a dog want to lick the area more, so you may need help in preventing this. Conventional treatments may be necessary and may treat the symptoms but not address the underlying cause of a hot spot.

Treating the cause is necessary to prevent repeat occurences. Food allergies and gastrointestinal problems can typically affect the skin too so a dog’s diet may need to be addressed.